Water-softener apparatus



3. F. SMITH l 1,719,908

WATERV soF-TENERAPPARATUS July 9, 1929.

Filed March l, 1927 2 Sheets-Shed l July 9, 1929. Q F SMITH 1,719,999

WATER S OFTENELR APPARATUS Filed March l, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July b9, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,719,908` `lPATEIxIIT oFF-ICE.

CLIFFRD F. SMITH,v OF SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH BAKOTA.

WATER-SQFTENER APPARATUS.

Application :filed March 1,

`supply system is low, the various valves are operated at a correspondingly low speed and -v1ce versa.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in which the power used to operate the motor is further utilized to force a regenerative agent through the softening reagent whereby mixed chlorids are formed and further to introduce fresh water to Wash the softening reagent free of the mixed chlorids.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described which is simple in construction, economical in operation and one which may be manufactured at a reasonable cost. v

Other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the course of the following description and drawings, in which y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus with parts of the piping system broken away Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with various parts removed to disclose the valve actuating mechanism, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus with the valve actuating mechanism removed to disclose the` piping arrangement.

In the drawings, A is a tank containing a water softening compound such aszeolites or the like and B a tank adapted to contain a salt solution to act as a revivier or regenerator for the chemical contained in tank A.

C is a motor, preferably of the fluid actuated t pe, having an inlet port 1 from any suitab e source of supply and an outlet port 2 connected to a pipe' line-3 leading tothe tank B. A branch line 4 having a pressure reducing valve 5 is connected to the pipe line 3 in advance of the intermittently controlled valve 6, and leads into the tan A, as indi- 1927. Serial No. 171,830.

cated at 7. A branch line 8 connects the Atank B with the branch line l between the pressure reducing valve 5 and the inlet 7 of the tank.

- pipe line 9 having a hand controlled valve -l() is connected to the upper portion of the tank A through one side of a T connec- 4 tion 11 and leads to any suitable point where the softened Water may be used.' A pipe line 12 having an automatically controlled valve 13 is connected to the other side'of the T connection 11 and is used as a Waste pipe during the operation of revivifying thesoftening re v agent and leads into any suitable sewagesystem, not shown. y

The motor C has mounted for reciprocation therein, a piston having a rod 14 carrying a spring dog 15 on its outer or free end.

The dog 15 is adapted to engage the teeth p of the ger 16 to rotate the same, which in turn rotates the gear 17 through the mediun'i of the" reduction gearing 18, 19 and 20. The

gear17 has projecting from one of its faces,

a pair of suitably spaced pins 21 and 21n adapted to engage and intermittently lift the valve levers 22 and 23 carried by the valves 6 and 13 respectively, which valves are actuated by gravity to close the same. The pin 21 is of lesser length than the pin 21a and is mounted on gear 17 at a greater distance from the axis of said gearthan the pin 21a, both of the pins being suitably spaced relative to each other circumferentiallycf the gear so that the valve 6 will be opened in advance of the valve 13. The lever 22 is of greater length than the lever 23 so that during the counter clockwise movement of gear 17, the pin 21al Will pass under lever 23 to engage and open valve 6 prior'to the engagement and opening of valve 13 by pin 21. A ratchet 24 is provided to-engage the teeth of the gear 16 to prevent the valve Vactuating gearing being rotated in a reversedirection. Under normal operating conditions, the valve 10 being open and valves 6 and 13 closed, fresh water from any suitable supply passes from motor C into pipe line 3 through branch line 4 past pressure reducing valve 5 and thence into the bottom of the softening tank A, as at 7 and-out at 9to 'the point desired for use.

To revivify the softening reagent, during the continued working of the apparat-us, the operation is as follows, the gear 17 carrying pins 21 and 21a is slowly rotated in a counter loo = to a sewer or the like.

the reduction gearing until the pin 21a engages the lever 22 to open valve 6. The fresh .water takingthe path of least resistance is then forced through pipe line 3, past valve 6 into the bottom of brine tank B. A portion of the brine in tank B is-forced into tank A through pipe 8, and upwardly through the the valve'G, The pin 21 thus engages lever 23 to open valve 13, permittingT the brine and Waste matter to leave tank A through line l2 y The cleansing operation of tank A continues until the valve 13 is released by pin 21, whence the apparatus'is returned to normal operating condition and the fresh water is again forced directly into the tank A through the softening reagent and thence through pipe 9 and valve 10 to the service outlet, not shown.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that when the softening reagent is exhausted, the same is revivified with a brine solution which gives up calcium and magnesium to the reagent and tak'es up sodium in place thereof.

While it is proposed to use zeolites or the like as the softening reagent which gives up sodium compounds to water passing Atherethrough and takes up lime and magnesia in its lieu, it is to be understood, however', that any other softening reagent maybe used in place thereof. Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1.`An automatic water softening apparatus and regenerator therefor, comprising a softening tank, a hard water line connected to said tank, a pressure actuated valve in said line, a regeneratmg tank, a branch line connecting the regenerating tank to the hard water line ahead of the pressure actuated valve, a normally closed valve in said branch line, a regenerating fluid conveying line connecting the regenerating tank and the hard water line on other side of the pressure actuated valve, a service line leading from the softener tank and having a valve therein, a

.Waste line connected to the service line beline, aV regenerating tank, a branch line connecting the regenerating tank to the hard Water line ahead of the pressure actuated valve, a normally closed valve in said branch line, a regenerating fluid conveying line connecting the regenerating tank and the hard Water line onother side of the pressure actuatedy valve, a service line leading from the softener tank and having a valve therein, a Waste line connected to the service line between the last named valve and the softening tank, a valve in said waste line, a depending arm carried by each of the branch line and Waste line valves, actuating means for said valves having outwardly extending spaced fingers arranged to alternately engage said arms to open the valves, and means to rotate the actuating means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLIFFORD F. SMITH. 

